Trip-less Dotterel & Garganey pair

On Saturday 13th May, it was a poor day weatherise, however I managed up to 3 Swift flying over the house, plus a group of 9 House Martins and a single Swallow flying over and calling plus a showy Frog by the fish pond and a male Orange Tip flew through the garden too. On Sunday 14th May in the afternoon, I visited Tinkers Marshes viewing 400 yards west of the Bailey bridge, in a ploughed field we saw first one Dotterel, an immaculately plumaged female and then I spotted a second Dotterel very distant, but paler and appeared to be a male, reasonable especially when it clouded up viewing conditions were much better when the heat haze dissapated. At Kessingland Sewage Works very little bird wise save for a singing Lesser Whitethroat that remained safely hidden but when I walked back it flew out in front of the bushes and back a few metres revealing itself. I saw Paul & Jane F and as we stood chatting, first a male Orange Tip flew by on several occasions, never settling. The 2 fine Brimstones flew around too. At Lound at Blue Doors Loke, I saw first a male Garganey dabbling at the edge of the weedy area it then swam back and swam under an overhanging bush, the female Garganey was still there dabbling before it too joined the male underneath the bush too.

Mystery Warbler in Sparrow's Nest top loop trail

On Wednesday 10th May, after Carlton Marshes I went straight over to Sparrow's Nest where Andrew E had what he thought was a Greenish W. The bird was quickly located in the very top canopy of a large tree in the middle of the top loop track. It certainly looked the part being very clean underneath with creamy yellow vent and what looked like a dark eye stripe and a whitish super cilia. From the angle of viewing you couldn't differentiate side- on specifically the wings to see if there was a wing bar and it didn't call either, unhelpfully. It could well have been a Northern Scandinavian Willow W, maybe we will never know.

Temminck's Stint at Carlton Marshes

Another great Andre w find,a Temminck's was my next quest and having finished work early today, Wednesday 10th May 1.30pm, I was able to enjoy a gloriously sunny and spring like day our first for over 2 weeks at Carlton Marshes. The reserve was looking pukka following the visit by Matt Baker and BBC's Countryfile the day before pity they hadn't had better weather. Looking over from the path by Spreatts Water, a Cuckoo was seen perched in an alder but calling almost constantly and keeping a fair distance away. It flew past reasonably close but too quick to take the camera off the tripod and try a few shots. Having seen Carl B and Eric P, I knew the bird was still there and arriving at the southern end of the scrape viewing just past the bridge, the fine Temminck's Stint suddenly came out feeding unobtrusively and almost crouching as it fed by the side of the island. Nice pale mousey brown back with a few dark feathers. It then walked deeper into the grass and promptly disappeared. meanwhile up to 2 Yellow Wagtails seen on the scrape a vocal and active bright individual and later on a paler bird feeding close to us. Later a calling Curlew flew in and settled on the back pool and later still, the 7 note whistler, a Whimbrel called and flew off south. Later on around a dozen Black- tailed Godwits flew in at the back. Good to see Alison & Chris A and the newly arrived Paul & Jane F. Alison rang me to say they just had a Whinchat on the western fence of the scrape and sure enough walking up we were treated to good views of this bird perched on the fence. Chris D who was also present kindly shouted Andrew E had just found a probable Greenish at the top loop track at Sparrows Nest and thanking Chris we left to go and investigate.

Waxwings in May

On Tuesday 9th May, I drove up to 25 Beccles Road, Southtown parking up at the end of Church road and walking up to the aforementioned address. As yesterday no sign of the Waxwings on the Cotoneaster bush in the pocket handkerchief sized front "garden" but by an alleyway opposite were 2 birders looking up in the trees. A sure sign of success and it was good to see pioneer digiscoper Danny P as one of the duo. I could see the Waxwing perched high up in the tree it flew to the next accompanying roadside tree and it was joined by a second Waxwing. They then flew over the road and started feeding on the Cotoneaster berries before worryingly flew back low over the road and fortunately missing contact with the constantly traffic on both lanes. Easily my latest ever in spring. No pics as I looked just after work.

On Sunday 7 May, a visit to Corton OSW at 11.30am I bumped into James B at the churchyard who was then leaving. At the southern end of the OSW compound I saw Craig and he pointed a fine male Whinchat perched on the fence, it later seen on the grass in the compound, we also saw both a male and female so 2 Wheatear within the compound. Meanwhile around 15 Sand Martin flying around the compound and nearby fields. Plus I could hear at least 1 possibly 2 Lesser Whitethroats with their rattling call. from the nearby hedge. 1 Long- tailed Tit seen. Ali R and Maurice B had arrived and I walked down the hedgerow lane and I spotted the fine male Redstart fly across to the north-west corner of the sewage works. I called Ali could then rang Maurice B and I gestured to Craig and we all enjoyed great views of this bird as it flitted about perched in the hedgerow and occasionally from the bare branches. A Goldfinch seen calling as I walked back.

Carlton Marshes poor weather but good variety of birds

On Wednesday May 3rd a dull and cloudy evening, a trip to Carlton Marshes yielded instant dividends when the excellent Little Owl was perched on top of the old dilapidated building opposite the SWT centre. I stopped the car by the barrier crept out and took a few pics of this great little bird and my first sighting of this species this year. Walking to the south side of the scrape, several Sedge warblers were heard singing and 1 seen. On the scrape itself, a bright female Yellow Wagtail and a duller one, which called and flew over the eastern field where the cattle were. Later on 1 Yellow Wagtail seen by the close edge of the scrape. Also 2 fine White Wagtails were seen on the left side of the scrape too. One Wood Sandpiper also fed along the close edge of the water walking right. A Little Ringed Plover was also seen on the mid scrape with 1 very fine full summer plumaged Bar- tailed Godwit. Brick red plumage contrasting with its silvery wings. Whilst at the back left of the scrape a resplendent male Garganey shuffled off an island and swam right but promptly disappeared. Scanning right on the grassy area I saw an old Rabbit feeding on the far western side of the scrape. Bumping into the power walker chap he said he'd seen a large Owl flying along the mound walk bordering the river skirting pets Marsh and sure enough scanning, I saw the fine Short- eared Owl flying above and below the mound line. I heard a calling Whitethroat by a bush and briefly saw a movement here. Scanning the Scrape from the northern side, I could see 2 Ringed Plovers and had a brief glimpse of a full summer plumaged Spotted Redshank that promptly hid in the grass. Walking back to the car park, I saw a Barn Owl perched on a horizontal branch by the trees along the walk, it then flew across the field. My third Owl species of the evening. 1 heard and saw a Whitethroat calling and singing briefly by the bushes bordering the car park. Around 4 Grasshopper warblers heard too. A fine trip with murky weather but the birds showed quite well.

Bank Holiday MayDay catchup

On Saturday 29th April at Carlton MarshesI saw Rob, Andrew and Matt at the car park, hearing a Cuckoo I walked around the Whitecast marsh path and saw the bird perched in the bare branched tree. A Sedge Warbler showed reasonably well on a bramble nearby. At the scrape, I saw 1 male Garganey on the west side of the scrape plus a family of 5 Lapwing, 2 adults and 3 tiny chicks. Other Lapwing were nesting on the scrape. On April 30th at Ormesby Broad viewing from the bridge with Ricky we saw 5 Black Tern with dark soot black plumage white under the tail they flew low over the water with their typically bouncy marsh tern flight. Also 6 Arctic Tern, flying around with them, smaller more compact with long tail streamers very white underwings with only a thin black line of the trailing edge of the primaries great to see these birds. Great birds to see. 4 Common Tern, larger with a black wedge on the primaries flew much neater the bridge and ebeven flew over the road towards Ormesby Little broad. + fem Mandarin & Cinnamon X BW Teal male hybrid Rollesby broad. On May 1st at Carlton Marshes I saw 3 Bar- tailed Godwits seen standing in a line, with 2 in full summer plumage whilst the one of the far right was still penned in winter plumage. I saw Paul, Jane F, James B and Paul W other the far southern side of the scrape. As I walked over the field to join them, I heard 2 Swifts screaming overhead and promptly saw my earliest ever Swifts flying right above me. I also saw 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and and really pleased to see not 1 but 2 Wood Sandpipers on the scrape. I also heard 7 Grasshopper warblers around the reserve.